The concept of immersion is to make a user feel like they are part of the simulated environment. The success with which an immersive digital environment can actually immerse the user is dependent on many factors. Technology, such as three-dimensional graphics, surround sound, interactive user-input and other factors such as simplicity, functionality and potential for enjoyment have allowed multimedia users the ability to become immersed into media content. In fact, immersive digital environments are readily known, where realistic environmental effects such as wind, seat vibration and ambient lighting, are used to develop and further an interactive immersive experience.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,369,903 discloses a type of ambient lighting technology that generates light effects around a television, the light effects being dependent on the type of video content being displayed and having the effect of a more immersive viewing experience.
The patent relates to the on-line analysis of meta-data that is received together with a video signal. This analysis results in an adaptation of the lighting surrounding the presentation device (110). One or more characteristics of the meta-data are filtered out and translated into lighting settings of one or more light elements (102, 104, 106, 108), which in turn can contain one or more light sources.
The '903 patent illustrates an embodiment of an ambient light environment. Here, 100 illustrates a living room in which light elements, 102, 104, 106, 108, and 112 are positioned. The light elements can comprise LED illumination cells of different colors like red, green, and blue. Other colors and other light emitting resources, like conventional light, can also be used.
The television 110 receives and processes a television signal and the processed television is shown on its screen. The television 110 can be an analog or a digital television signal receiver. The television signal can be received via a satellite dish, cable, storage device, internet etc. Furthermore, the television signal can in general be a video signal or an image as can be stored upon a VCR, CD, DVD, a Game machine a PC etc. The living room 100 contains also other furniture like chairs 116, 118, and 120 and a table 122. The positions of the furniture and the shown furniture is only meant as an example to illustrate the invention that allows realization and change of both ambiance and light effect in combination with video, games, audio, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,063 describes a method and apparatus for simulating participation in a live event. The apparatus operates by gathering input from the live event through sensors located at the live event, and by gathering user input from a remote participant through a user interface. These inputs are transmitted to a computer system where they are used to generate a display of the simulation, which reflects what is actually happening at the live event, as well as the effect of user commands on the live event simulation. The display includes “entities” corresponding to real participants in the live event as well as “entities” corresponding to simulated participants in the live event. In the '063 patent, an example is well described where the event is an automobile race. Sensors at the race periodically record the position of real automobiles participating in the race. This position information is relayed to the computer system where it is used to construct a display of the automobile race showing the real vehicles in their proper locations. Commands received from the user interface control a simulated vehicle in the display. By issuing commands through the user interface, a remote participant navigates the simulated vehicle in and out of the real vehicles in the display. In this way, the excitement a highly interactive video game is combined with the drama and publicity surrounding a live event.
As discussed, the '063 patent permits remote participants to effectively “compete” with the real participants in the live event, creating an artificial but immersive experience. However, there is no immersive effect or simulation concerning actual external surroundings. Rather, the prior art prepares a simulation according to limited conditions occurring at a remote external location, which is not currently encountered by the participant.
Often, occupants of moving vehicles will utilize traditional video games and entertainment devices to divert their attention from their travel. The occupant becomes distracted and removed, while becoming less integrated with the current environment.